Loom and method of weaving



July 1, 1941. F J, MMDONALD 2,247,760

LOOM AND METHOD OF WAVING Filed May 1:5,v 19:58 7 sheets-sheet 1 July 1,1941.

F. J. MacDoNALD 2,247,760

LOQM AND METHOD OF WEAVING Filed May 13, 1938- '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 July-11941- `F. J. MacD'oNALD. 2,247,760

LOOM AND METHOD OF WEAVING Filed May 15, 1938 '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 1,1941 F. J. MacDoNALD l '2,247,760

y LOOM. AND METHOD OF4 WEAVING Filed May 15. 1958 7 sheets-sheet 4 7 saZ: JFZaaUnE/d F. J. MacDoNALD LOOM AND METHOD OF WEVI-NG July l1,` 1941.

' Filed May 13, 193e 7 sheds-sneu, 5

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July l, 1941.

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` LooM AND METHOD 0F; wEAvING A Filed May 15, 1938l 7 shets-sheet vPatented July 1, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT -o-FQFICE A* LooM AND METHODF WEAVING Frank J. MacDonald, Brookline, Mass., assignor yto Hood RubberCompany, Inc., Watertown, Mass., a. corporation of Delaware ApplicationMay-13, 1938, Serial No. 207,724

.14 Claims. (Cl. 139-11) This invention relates to looms for weavingtextile materials and to methods of weaving and articles producedthereby.Y The invention is especially useful in the production of formedarticles, especially those having three dimensional characteristics,such as gloves, shoes and others of complex shapes.

elimination of wind-up or other mechanism which heretofore has hadthedisadvantage of so tensioning the woven fabric thatY the operationhas been limited to the weaving of Vilat fabric. Accordingly it isanobject to provide such freedomof the woven material-that articlesOfcomlplex contour may be woven Ywith facility.

"Ihesel and other objects will appear from the 'following description,and ,the accompanying drawings. n

O'f the drawings: K Fig. 1 is an end'elevation ofY a loom .embodying.the Vapparatus'of 'the'invention in its preferred `form,parts beingbroken away.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the saine .parts being broken away, the warpsupply mechanism being broken away. r

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the same taken onflines'3-3 of Fig."2 parts being broken away. 1'

Figfl'is 'a sectional elevation taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2, parts beingbroken away.

Fig. 5l is aV detail Vview of the selvage thread shuttle mechanism.v y yA,

Fig. 6 `is `a sectional View taken on line 6--6 of Fig'. 5.

Fig.'7 is a detail view showing selvage thread shuttle with the ller`needle in its most'advanced postionawith the ller threadedtherethrough.

Fig. 8 is a detailsideview of the shuttle.

Fig. '9 is a detail View of the selvage thread shuttle and the llerneedle, illustrating how the ller is cast over the selvage threadshuttle at each pick.

Fig. 10 is a plan view Vof the shuttle showing the loop of filler beingcast thereover.

Fig. 11 is a perspective detail view showing section.

Fig. 12 is a sectional elevationA of the heddle mechanism, parts beingbroken away, the heddles being shown in one shed-forming position.

Fig. 13 is a similar view somewhatrsimplied by omission of parts,showingtheheddles vin a succeeding shed-forming position.

Fig. V14 is a view of two` of `the heddles to an enlarged scale, showingthe partially completed fabric and illustrating the luse of the`he'ddles to beat up the filler. Y 1

Fig. V15 is a detail plan viewofthe operating ends of the heddles, thefiller needle, and .the partially completed fabric, the parts beingshown in posi-v tion assumed by themas 'the needle advances a succeedingloop of filler. p ,n Y Y, Y

Fig. 16 is a similar View with the selvage thread looped through theller loop fand the `needle returning.

Fig. 17 is a similar view with the needle fully withdrawn. v

Fig. 18 is a plan view of a piece of unfinished fabric of `varying widthleaving the heddlesand ducing a glove such as that illustrated in Fig.23.

Fig. 21 is a plan view of a pattern cam for producing the shoe vupper ofFig. A25, y

Fig. 22 isa similar view of a pattern cam `for producing the helicalfabric of 27,. y

Fig. 23 is a planr view of, a nishedwoven glove, the dot and dash linesindicating the division of the weaving operations.

Fig. 24 is a rear view of the same.

Fig. 25 is a perspective view of a finished shoe upper, the dot and dashlines indicatingth'edivi- Vcurrent from any convenient source', hasapulley I6 which drives the countershaft I4v at areduced speed through apulley I1 "fixedrto shaft Hand a belt I8. Countershaft I4 has "a pulleyI9 fixed thereto, which drives cam shaft -I'2 at a reduced lspeed bymeansof va :pul1ey-20, xed thereto, yand a belt 2|. Auxiliary cam shaft|3 is driven at half the speed of cam shaft I2 from that shaft by asprocket 22, xed to the cam shaft, a sprocket 23 fixed to the auxiliarycam shaft and a chain 24.

The machine includes means for individually tensioning a series of Warpthreads and a serles of individual heddles, one for each warp thread,which are `operated in alternate groups to form a shed'for receiving thefiller thread and are also used to force the filler into place in thewoven fabric without the use of the usual comb or beater mechanism.

Provision is made for eliminating the usual wind-up mechanism so thatlittle or no tension need be applied to the largest part of the wovenmaterial and so that consequently the woven material will be free toadjust itself, which facilitates the weaving of complicated shapes.

To support the heddles an L-shaped bar 25 (see Fig. 12) is mountedacross the machine and fixed to the frame members I0, Il. The bar isslotted vertically at regular intervals to receive a series ofV sheetmetal partition plates 26 which arewelded orfotherwise aixed to the barin the slots to define a series of stalls within which the heddles areguided; The heddles each comprise a thin sheet metal bar'21 having anaperture or heddle eye 28 at its upper extremity. The heddles are allpivoted on a rod 29 which extends through alignedl partition plates 26.A rod 30 extends along the margins of the partitions and is affixedthereto to assist in holding them in proper spaced relation and alsoacts as a stop to limit rotative movement of the heddles about the pivotrod 29. The lowerends'of the heddles, below the pivot rod 29 are-shorterand of less weight than their upper ends and the heddles are at alltimes inclined to the verticalV so that they naturally lie in loweredposition. Their lower ends are tapered on one edge at an acute angle totheir length 4so as to provide substantial vertical pushing -faces 3| toreceive pressure to tilt the heddles to raised position.

The heddle pushing or shedding mechanism includes a pusher carriage 32slidably mounted on the machine frame members I0, for motionlengthwise-of the machine toward and from the heddles. 'I'he carriageis'actuated by a cam 33 fixed to cam shaft 'lf2 and engaging rollers 34,35 mountedV on a sliding carriage `35. Levers 31, 31a are pivoted on theframe members I0, by rod 38. Their lupper extremities are pivotallyattachedto the carriage 32 at 39, 39a and they are engaged therebetweenby -the carriage 36 to which they are pivoted at 40. Carriage 32supports a bar 4| extending cross-wise of the loom and channeled onitsunder side, as at 42.

Slidably supported on one end by the bar 25, and supported atthe otherend as hereinafter explained, and located under each heddle is aheddle-pusher 43, therebeing one for each heddle. i Each hed-dlepusher-comprises a thin strip of sheet metal formed at its heddleengaging'end with-a heddle lowering surface 44 and a heddle pushingsurface 45 separated by a clearance notch 46, and at its opposite endwith a raised projection 41 adapted to be engaged by a shoulder ofthebar 4| defining the groove 42 to ad- Vance the heddle-pusher toelevate its heddle. Eachl heddle pusher is normally held with itsprojection 41 depressed so as not to be engaged by the bar 4| by aspring 48 mounted on a bar 49 fixed to the frame of the machine, therebeing one spring for each heddle pusher.

To provide for raising alternate heddles in groups, as in plain weaving,a swinging lift pin guide 56 is pivoted at 5|, 52 to the frame of theloom by a rod 53. A cam 54 fixed to shaft |3 contacts a lever 55 whichis pivoted to the frame of the loom at 56. A link 51 pivotally connectsthe upper end of the lever 55 to the lift pin guide at 58, thearrangement being such that the lift pin guide swings in one directionand remains stationary during the insertion of one pick of filler, thenswings in the opposite direction and remains stationary during thesucceeding pick. 'I'he lift pin guide 56 has two parallel rows of holesfor guiding a number of push pins 59. Each push pin is formed with aloop at its upper end which straddles the rod 53 and has its lower endextending through an aperture in the guide 50. Every alternate pinextends through a hole in the same row, the others extending through theremaining row. Each heddle pusher 43 rests on the looped portion of onepush pin 59.

Below the push pin guide is a stationary bar 60 arranged crosswise ofthe loom. The bar 60 is formed with a single row of apertures, one foreach heddle, in which contact pins 66a are mounted to slide vertically.A leaf spring 60h bears upon a contact pin and holds it in depressedposition, there being an individual leaf spring for each. contact pin.YIn the swinging movementof the push rod guide-'50, one set of push rods59 is aligned over contact pins 60a duringl one pick and the otherset ofpush rods is aligned thereover during a-succeeding pick, the arrangementbeing such that raising of all the contact pins will elevate every otherheddle pusher during one pick so that such heddle pushers engage thegroove in bar 4| and elevate alternate heddles, and during the nextVpick,`there maining push pins will be lifted, raising the remainingheddles. f

To provide for selectively lifting the heddles in prearranged orderwhereby to control the shape of the woven article, a rectangular frame6| is mounted on the frame members .|0, and comprises a pair of sidemembers 62, 63, having racks 62a, 63a, slidably mounted thereon, and across member 64 is connected tol said racks. A table 65 is pivotedat oneend thereof on cross member 64. A pair of rollers 66, 61 are mounted inbearings, fixed to a bar 68 which is vertically moveable so as to restupon a'pair of similar cams 10, 1| fixed to cam drum |61 mounted onshaft |2. The bar 68 is i'lxed to a pair of arms pivoted at 69 to framememberslll and The arrangement is such that at each revolution of camshaft vl2 the table 65 is in raised position during 70 degrees ofrotation of the cam shaft and is in lowered position during 260 degreesthereof. The movement of the'table 65 is such that at no position do'esit contact the pins 69a. which are spaced therefrom at such a distancethat-wl'len a template 12 'is Vlixecl to the'table,

any of the pins 66a above the template will be raised when the table 65is raised so as to lift the corresponding heddle pushers 43 to apositior where they will engage the bar 4| in its forward movement,thereby raising the corresponding heddles.

The template 12 may be of any desired shape. To provideV for advancingAthe table 65 step by step as the weaving progresses, and thereby tocontrol the shed at each pick, a shaft 13 is mounted cross-wise'of` theloom and is rotatable in bearings xed to the frame members l0, Fixed t9Shaft 13 are a pair of pinions 14, 15,

adapted to engage the rack teeth on members 62a, 63a, and a ratchetwheel16. A crank 11 is also fixed to the shaft and provides means formanually advancing or returning the table 65.

Y, A ratchet lever 18 is' pivoted on shaft 13 and carries a springpressed pawl 18a which may be turned into a plurality of positions tofeed the ratchet wheel 16 in either direction.A The lever 18 receives arocking motion from a' cam 19 which engages a roller 80, mounted on apush rod 8| pivotally attached to lever 18 between nuts 82, 83 engaginga threaded portion of the lever, whereby the radius of the pivotedconnection may be adjusted to control the are of feed. The arrangementis Vsuch that the table is fed the width of one pick just before thetable is elevated to raised position, and by reversing the ratchet pawl,the table may be fed in a reverse direction.

The warp threads 85 are individually Wound on spools 86 supported byracreel 81 and travel through guides 88, 89 over .a series of parallelrods 90 to the weaving position where they are guided under a rod 9|which determines the extent of the shed. Between the rods 90, take-upweights 92 vare hung, one on each -Warp thread to apply a fixed tensionto the thread and to eliminate slack therein. Each warp is passed fromunder the rod 9| through the eye 28 of its heddle. The arrangement issuch that each warp is kept taut whether or not it is being Woven intothe fabric at the moment.

The filler thread is manipulated through the shed -by a needle which ismanipulated as follows: Extending laterally from the loom frame is awing frame |0|, supporting a rail |02. A carriage |03 is slidablymounted thereon. A rail |04 is mounted on the machine frame parallel torail |02. A carriage |05 slidably mounted on rail |04, carries a rollerwhich engagesI in a groove |06 ina cam drum |01 fixed to shaft |2. Byrotation of the drum, the carriage is caused to reciprocate along therail |04. A shaft |08 is journaled in bearings formed on the rail |04with its axis extending warp-wise. A pinion |09 and a rope drum ||0 arefixed thereon. A pair of guide pulleys 2 are rotatably mounted on theframe at opposite ends of the rail. A drive rope ||3 extends twicearound the drum ||0 to which it is attached at one point, and extendsaround the guide pulleys ||2, to provide a free reach parallel to therail |02, to which the carriage |03 is attached. A rack bar ||4 is xedto the carriage |05 and engages the pinion |09. The arrangement is suchthat rotation of cam drum |01 reciprocates carriage |03. The needle |00is positioned to be driven back and forth through the shed, and isguided by grooved guide pulleys ||5, ||6 rotatably mounted on themachine frame. The weft or filler thread ||1 is drawn from a supplyspool ||8 and then through a tension ||9, and is threaded through an eye|20 near the point of the needle. At each pick, a loop of filler threadis passed through the shed, where it is engaged by a selvage thread ashereinafter explained, the needle returning to form a succeeding loop.

A plate |2| is rigidly mounted on the frame of the loom opposite to theneedle operating mechanism and has an aperture |22 through which the-point of the needle passes. A tubular bearing |23 is fixed to thecenter of the plate and a shaft |24 is rotatably mounted therein. Fixedto this shaft are a pinion |25 and a crank arm |26. A cam |21 xed toshaft |2 actua-tes a lever arm |28 which is pivoted to the frame of theloom at |29 and carries a roller |30 adapted to engage the cam. A rackbar |3| is pivotally connected to the end of lever |28, as at |32 andits rack teeth engage the pinion |25, a roller |33 being rotatablymounted on plate |2| to guide the rack and keep it engaged with thepinion. The arrangement is such that the arm |26 isrotated a fullrevolution in one direction and then a full revolution in the oppositedirection.

A looper |34, comprising a substantially circular disc, having a notch|35 in its periphery defining a looper hook |36 is rotatably mountedbetween a set of grooved guide pulleys |31 with its center in alignmentwith shaft |24. The pulleys |31 are arranged in pairs to readily spanthe notch |35, and are rotatably supported by plate 2| in such aposition that the periphery of the looper disc is substantially close tothe needle |00. Mounted upon the looper disc is a bracket |38which'carries a bobbin shaft |39 in which a bobbin |40 of selvage threadis rotatably mounted. A tension brake 4| on the end of the bobbin shaft,bears against the bobbin to prevent overrun thereof. A guard |42partially enclosed the bobbin and is fixed to the looper disc. Apertures|43 provide tension means and guides through which the thread may bewithdrawn. Guide rolls |44, |45 are rotatably mounted on the looper diseand guard, respectively, to reduce friction on the thread. A guide I|46,for the needle, is fixed to the frame of the loom. The arrangement issuch that as the needle |00 reaches its most advanced'position, the hook|36 of the looper 'picks up the filler thread ||1, and drawing a loop|48 therefrom, casts it over the entire looper plate so as to entwine itabout the selvage thread |49. The looper is driven by a pin |41 on thearm |26 which loosely fits in the notch |35, thereby permitting the loopto pass entirely over the looper. The cam.

'I'he reach of the filler thread between thev tension |-|9 and the eyeof the needle is kept under constant tension so as to draw the selvagethread into theweave. By'increasing thisY ten-v Y sion the filler Aloopmay bel drawn tight enough to pull the selvage thread into theweave'in'the form of loops, as'shown in Fig. 18.V Such a construction has certainadvantages in that accidentalcutting of the selvage thread does notrelease the loop of filler thread and where a selvage thread ofcontrasting color is employed, a border of contrasting color may beWoven in the fabric. To provide such tension on the filler thread, aweighted take-up |50 is located between a thread guide, |5| and thetension I|9, andthe thread Ill' is passed under a pulley |52 on the takeup, and over a pulley I 53 adjacent the thread guide |5|. A convenientmethod of weighting the take up is by pressure applied thereto bycompressed air. For this purpose, a cylinder |54 is i'lxedto the frameof the loom. A piston |55 slidably mounted therein is attached to a rod|56 which is fixed to the take up weight |50. The upper end of thecylinder is closed by a stuing box |51, the lower end being open to theatmosphere. A pipe |58 connects the upper end of the.

cylindertoa source of compressed air or other pressure'uid. f

Due to the absence of any means for beaming or otherwise withdrawing theflnished'fa'bric, the fabric may proceed in; any direction from theformingfposition. This is of advantage in weaving articles in which theweaving proceeds in different planes. Articles of Acomplicatedconstruction, such as the glove of Fig. 23, the shoe upper of Fig. 25,or the helical strip of Fig. 27 may be woven in a continuous operationby weaving successive adjoining areas thereof .in succession with thewarp threads extending continuously through adjacent areas in which thewarps extend in different directions, and the filler thread being alsocontinuous throughout adjacent sections. Due to the independenttakeupson the warp threads and the template control'of the operation ofthe heddles, warps may be worked into one section, dropped during theweaving of a second and picked up during the Weaving of a third sectionadjacent the first.-

Figs. 20, 21 and 22 illustrate the forms of templates 12 which may beaffixed to the table 65 to control the heddles'in weaving the articlesillustrated in Figs. 23, 25 and 27, respectively. In Weaving the articleof Fig. 23 which is a glove having overlapped fingers, a template suchas that illustrated'in Fig. 20 is attached to the table and fed throughthe loom in the direction indicated bythe arrow. As the portion of thetemplate marked |60 passes under the heddle raising mechanism, the loomstarts at the wrist of the back of the glove and weaves up the back tothe tip of the index finger, certain warps being dropped at |6| on line|6|a of the glove, and others being dropped at |52'at line H520I of theglove. As the part |63 passes through the loom, the inside face of theindex nger is woven. At line |64 `of the template certain warps aredropped on line ||4a of the glove while at linev |65 certain warpsdropped during the weaving of the back of the index finger are picked upand the back of the index'fnger is started against the last pickutilizing such warps. In similar manner weaving proceeds up the back ofone finger, th'en down the front thereof, the portion lffo'rming theback of the middle finger, the part |61, the front thereof, the part |68forming theback of the fourth finger, the part |59 the front thereof,the part |10 forming theA back of thevlittle finger and the part |1| thefront thereof. At line |12, corresponding to line |650. on the face ofthe glove, the vwarps comprising the frontsof `all the fingers arepicked up. At line |13-of the template, the remaining warps are pickedup and others'are dropped at |14. The inside of the thumb is woven andcontrolled by part |15. The outside of the thumb is then Woven andcontrolled by part |16. At`line |11, all the warps are picked up andthepart |18 completes the glove by weaving to the wrist over the palm.Whenever the edges of the article are parallel to the warps, the frontand back Vof the glove will not be united but may be sewed.

In weaving the helical article of Fig. 27 the template shown in Fig. 22'may be used. As the template is moved through the loom in the directionof the arrow, the number of heddles raised, and therefore the width ofthe fabric, increases from the point |80 of the template until the point|8| reaches the heddle lifting pins. Thereafter warps are droppedprogressively until the point |82of the template is included. Atriangular sector of the fabric is now completed. A new sector is thenwoven in similar manner'on the same warps and dueto the individualtake-ups on the warps, the new sector is woven directly against thepreceding one, the warps changing direction i at the .margin of therstfsector Weaving may be continued in similarmanner' throughout anydesired length'of fabric In weaving the shoe 'upper of Fig. 25 thetemplate of .'Fig. 21 is employed. As the template moves through theloom in the direction of 'the arrow, the toe cap segment of thesho'e'marked is woven with the warps extending lengthwise of the foot,by the part |85a of the template. Next the tongue |86 'is Woven by thepart |86a of the template. The vamp segment |81 is then woven againstthe toe cap segment by thepart |81a of the template. The segments |88,|89, and 90 are then woven against each other in succession, by theparts |88a, |8911., |90a of the template to form a strip Whichmay belater doubled upon itself and sewed together toform a lacing wing of theshoe. The quarterv segment |9| is woven thereagainst by the part lllar of the template. All of the warps employed'in weaving the rst lacing wingand quarter segment are then dropped and warps for forming the secondlacing wing are picked up, theseoondr side of the vamp including thevamp segment |92 and thewing segments |93, |94v and |95 being wovenagainst the toe cap segment bythe parts |92a, |930., |940., and |95a ofthe template. Theremaining quarter segment |93 is Woventhereagainst bythe part #95a of the template.k The warpsused in constructing the secondlacing wing and quarter segment'are now dropped and the tab |91 is wovenon the warps extending fromthe tongue, from which the tab maybe lcutlater', by the part |91@ of the template. As the'tab is completed, thewarps laterally thereof extending from the quarter segments, are` pickedup in succession, controlled by the part |98a of the template, and theheel segment |98l is woven against the quarter.

segments |9|, |95, thewarps extending vertically of the shoe and theWeaving terminating in a f margin which may be turned under Athe soleand concealed by the heel of the finished shoe.

Other formed articles may be woven invsimilar manner by Aprovidingtemplatestherefor. The

templates maybe changed Without disturbing thev vadjustment of ythe loomand without appreciable The template supportingy expenditure of time.table may be fed 'in either direction andin some cases articles maybewoven by feeding atemplate in.v one direction and thenin the otherdirection lin succession to `produce, a single article.

Iclaim; f "Y 1. A loom comprising a plurality .of heddlesfor sheddingthe warps, said heddles being mounted to cross one another in scissorsfashion and being.

tact of said surfaces with the wefts at the fell of the fabric. v

3. A'loom comprising a series of heddles each adapted to control asingle warp, each .heddle comprising'a pivoted blade having a heddle eyemounted` to engage Yeachheddle, a pattern cam .adapted to4 vcontrol therise of the heddles, means Aforactuating ,a group of `heddles in their yrising movement, and means controlled by said pattern ca m for bringingheddle pushersinto the .path of said actuating means.

vA loom comprising a series of heddlesdeaclh vadapted to control asingle warp, each heddle Vcomprising a ,pivoted blade having aheddlegveye vin its operating tip, a plurality of heddle pushersslidably mounted one to engage each heddle, a

:pattern cam adapted ton control the rise of the heddles, means forcollectively actuating a group of heddles in their rising movement bypressure applied through said heddle pushers, means actuated by saidpattern cam for selectively moving individual heddle pushers into thepath of said actuating means, and means for alternately causing saidpattern-cam actuated means to be inoperative as to the odd and evenheddles in the set during succeeding heddle raising movements.

5. A loom comprising a plurality of heddles each comprising a bladepivoted for edgewise motion and having a single heddle eye at a positionremote from its pivot, adjacent blades being mounted to swing past eachother in scissors fashion in their shed forming movements, and weftbeating surfaces on each blade inclined to their direction of motionand'directly adjacent the heddle eye therethrough and operable at thefell of the fabric for directly engaging the lay and forcing it intoproper position in the fab-ric simultaneous with the forming of thesucceeding shed.

6. A loom comprising a plurality of independent warp manipulatingheddles arranged in line across the loo-m and each having a warp guidefor controlling warps, reciprocating actuator means for simultaneouslyoperating a plurality of said heddles in their shed forming movements, apattern template, means for advancing said template step by step betweenshedding koperations, individual contact means between each heddle andsaid template and controlled by the position and shape of said templateto position groups of heddles in said'line for engagement by c saidactuator means, and means for successively and said template andcontrolled by the position and shape of said template to position groupsof heddles in said line for engagement by said actuator means, and meansfor successively disconnecting alternate heddles in said line from saidcontact means during successive shedding operations.

8. A loom comprising a plurality of independent Warp manipulatingheddles arranged in line across the loom and each having a Warp guidefor controlling warps, reciprocating actuator means for simultaneouslyoperating a plurality of said heddles in their shed forming movements, a

pattern template, 'means for advancing said template in eitherdirectionstep by step between shedding operations for reversing the pattern insuccessive blocks of weaving, individual contact means between eachheddle and said template Yand controlled by the position and shape ofsaid template -to position groups of heddles in said line for,engagementby said actuator means, and means-forv successively disconnectingalternate heddlesuin said line from said contact means during successiveshedding operations.

i, 9 A loom comprising a'pluralityjof independent Warp ymanipulatingheddles arranged in line across the loom and each having a warp guidefor controlling warps, reciprocating actuator means for simultaneouslyoperating a plurality of said heddles in their shed forming movements, apattern template, means for advancing said template step by step betweenshedding operations, individual contact means between each heddle andsaid template and controlled by the position and shape of said templateto position groups of heddles in said line for engagement by saidactuator means, means for intermittently advancing said template intoengagement with said contact means between its step by step movementsand for withdrawing it from contact dur ing such step by step movements,and means for successively disconnecting alternate heddles in said linefrom said contact means during successive shedding operations.

10. In a loom comprising shedding mechanism for manipulating warpthreads, a needle for in` serting a loop of filler yarnl through a shed,and a looper for entwining a selvage yarn through successive loops ofthe weft yarn, means for rotating the looper through a completerevolution at each pick to cast the looper yarn through the loop of lleradvanced by the needle, said rotating means comprising a driving pinloosely engaging a slot in the looper for driving purposes, and means toreverse the rotation of the looper at the end of its revolution asufficient amount to provide clearance for the loop of ller to pass oversaid looper along said pin.

11. In a loom comprising shedding mechanism for manipulating Warpthreads, a needle for inserting loops of filler yarn through successivesheds of the warp from one margin thereof, and a looper for entwining aselvage yarn through said loops, means for tensioning the filler yarn,said means comprising a uid pressure cylinder, a piston in saidcylinder, a tension pulley attached to said piston and engaging a loopof the filler thread, and means for supplying pressure to said cylinderto maintain the loop of ller yarn under constant tension.

12. A loom comprising a support for a flat template, a plurality ofvertically movable pusher pins adapted to be held in their upperpositions by a ilat template upon said support, a plurality of heddlespivoted for operation in scissorsfashion, and a plurality of heddlepushers positionable in operative condition by said pusher `pins in theupper positions of the latter.

- 13. A loom for Weaving a formed article, said loom comprising aplurality of single eye heddles each controlling a single warp andadapted to draw the Warps about the picks without restricting themovement of the woven material beyond the shedding position, individualtensioning means for each warp, template means for controllingrmovementsof the heddles in a desired program of shed forming operations, needlemeans for inserting a filler of successive picks in 114.fA loom forWeaving a formed article, said loom comprising individual supply meansfor each Warp,1individual tension means for keeping each warp vfree fromslack between `itssupply means anda/shedding position, a plurality oflOheddles .each having an eye adapted to guide a.

singlewarp at the shedding position and formed #and arranged tomanipulate said Warps atsuch the'V form of' loops of weft material 'eachextend- -Y ingfthrough a single shed, and means for entwinfing`a-selvage thread with the successive loops of vWe'ftmaterial astheyare-laid to secure them in l place. 5

Vpositions to foim a succession of sheds for i-e-d shedding movements ofindividual heddles to controlthe shape of the article, and needle meansfor inserting loops'ofweft material between the Warps of successivesheds.

A FRANK J. MACDONALD

